Storms over the Kalahari


Posted by Morkel Erasmus on Tue Dec 16, 2014 9:09 am

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I'm just back from a break to the Kalahari desert with my lovely wife. 
I took quite a few landscape photos on this trip due to the stormy weather we experienced - a lot of it from the vehicle though (dangerous lions about, so no walkabouts allowed except in the confines of the camps). This image was taken on our first afternoon from next to our cabin set high on a dune in the Kieliekrankie Wilderness Camp. This camp is unfenced though, so I couldn't venture too far off!

The wind was pumping so hard here that a tripod was moot - I resorted to shooting handheld, pushing the ISO a bit and trying to time my shutter finger with the lightning bolts (some of which struck quite close to me). I hope you like it...

Techs:
Nikon D810
Nikkor 14-24mm f2.8 @ 14mm
f8.0 | 1/60 SS | ISO-1250
Single Exposure, handheld
Morkel Erasmus
www.morkelerasmus.com

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by Pedro da Costa on Tue Dec 16, 2014 9:24 am
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Wow, thats a great sky. Fantastic shot.
 

by João Quintela on Tue Dec 16, 2014 10:15 am
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This is very nice.
Love the dramatic sky and the diagonal line
 

by Carol Clarke on Tue Dec 16, 2014 10:36 am
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Yes, I like it - I can feel the electricity Morkel! Wonderful moody image.
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by Mark Boranyak on Tue Dec 16, 2014 1:39 pm
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Yep, it's a great shot and certainly evokes excitement.

If you're shooting this at 14mm, then you would be too close to the lightning for me!

Mark
 

by Dean Hebert on Tue Dec 16, 2014 2:44 pm
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I really like the processing of the sky, dark and stormy!
 

by Luzestelar on Tue Dec 16, 2014 2:54 pm
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Are you a lucky man Morkel catching the lightning at 1/60s. Awesome image
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by Hikin Mike on Tue Dec 16, 2014 4:43 pm
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Love that sky and the lightning strike is a bonus!
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"The heavens declare the glory of God; The skies proclaim the work of his hands" -Ps 19:1
 

by Chris Kayler on Tue Dec 16, 2014 8:02 pm
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Hi Morkel. A really graphic image. The composition is very nice with the way the diagonal line of the dune leads up into the frame, with the lightning striking on the emptier side. I feel that the sky is cooked up a bit too much for my tastes ... I would desaturate the blues a bit at least, and maybe reduce contrast just a touch. I really like that the sunset was happening behind that beautiful cloud and all of the falling rain.
 

by Morkel Erasmus on Tue Dec 16, 2014 11:32 pm
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Thanks folks.
Chris, I actually didn't do much to the sky at all! The clouds really were a deep blue and the structure in them was amazing. :)
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by Jens Peermann on Wed Dec 17, 2014 10:02 am
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Fantastic job, creating such a spectacular image from the few features present here. Outstanding!
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by Peter Ireland on Thu Dec 18, 2014 1:52 pm
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Extraordinary shot Morkel,that sky is just stunning.
 

by John Labrenz on Thu Dec 18, 2014 7:15 pm
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Love it Morkel.
That bolt of lightning really makes this image...it adds interest and gives some action.
I might take out a bit of the magenta if it were mine.
 

by E.J. Peiker on Fri Dec 19, 2014 11:21 am
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Fantastic shot in every regard.
 

by Morkel Erasmus on Mon Dec 22, 2014 4:15 pm
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Thanks everyone!
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